How to kick effectively?

[eelnoraa]

To the OP: you asked for finning videos. Here are four links related to developing a frog kick.

This one. The 2nd link in your post, is a bad example of frog kick. Bad, don't do this

 

[Colliam7]

This one. The 2nd link in your post, is a bad example of frog kick. Bad, don't do this

And, what - from your perspective - is 'bad' about this demo? It is certainly good to critique, but I don't know that the OP will know what is specifically 'bad'.

 

[eelnoraa]

I may not know how to describe it, but if you compare the 1st video and the 2nd video, the difference should be obvious. The 2nd video basically show a breast stroke kick. In the first video, the load phase, the diver's thighs still stay in straight line along with his body, only his knee bend. I think this is the proper way of doing scuba frog kick.

 

[The Chairman]

And, what - from your perspective - is 'bad' about this demo?

Too much thigh and knee bending. There's no fluidity. He needs to relax a bit.

The 2nd video basically show a breast stroke kick.

Not even close.

 

[Lucas Barroso]

You have to look at fins like gears on a bicycle,

every type of fin caters to a different type of diver and kick. for example, when I am guiding dives on the reef where I am not worried about silt, i will use my larger, more flexible fin so I can move quickly through the water using a flutter kick. but if I am guiding a dive on a wreck where silt becomes a problem I will use my turtle fins, and use a frog kick with them. thus allowing me to move easily with minimal kicking and minimal silt buildup.

 

[urbaneve71]

I bend at the knees when I flutter.

i should have rephrased that to mean those that kick like they are riding a bike. LOL

 

[The Chairman]

i should have rephrased that to mean those that kick like they are riding a bike. LOL

Yeah, they are doing it backwards and are trying to get power from the bottoms of their fins and not the tops.

Flutter kick like you're playing kickball. Kick the ball. Kick the ball. Kick the ball.

 

[Patoux01]

I know everyone here is talking about the frog kick but me personally I like the flutter kick (and that's cuz I was a competition swimmer....it's ingrained in me at this point lol). But seriously a proper flutter kick will gain speed and less exertion

Interestingly, I have been part of a swimming club for about 10 years (from 6 to 16 or so), and once I started diving, I immediately threw away the flutter kick (immediately being : "just after OW"). I only use it if there's very very heavy current. Other than that, it's frog kick, which is much more relaxing, not as much tension in the body...

 

[Colliam7]

The 2nd video basically show a breast stroke kick. In the first video, the load phase, the diver's thighs still stay in straight line along with his body, only his knee bend. I think this is the proper way of doing scuba frog kick.

Interesting discussion point. I actually think quite a few divers use what some would consider to be a breaststroke kick. Thanks for clarifying your comment.

 

[The Chairman]

i should have rephrased that to

As an aside... part and parcel to teaching these kicks to students, is learning how to describe them accurately. Trying to break the mechanics of these kicks down to discrete and easily understood instructions has been daunting at times. Quite often it's a matter of monkey see: monkey do. One of the topics for discussion before we hit the pool is that I want my students to imitate me. No, it's not a matter of being egotistical, but rather a teaching tool. I strive to set the example in my diving at all times but especially so when I'm teaching. I don't want my students to work hard, so I don't work hard. I want them to inflate their BCs on the surface and relax, so I do that. I don't want them to do bounce dives (or ascents), so I avoid them like the plague.

As an aside part deux...

When it comes to verbalizing these instructions, I've learned an awful lot from the instructors and some of the users here on SB. If you're a Dive Master or higher, you should be accessing our Instructor to Instructor forum where we talk about our students behind their backs! If you're not yet a Dive Master, this is yet another great reason to achieve that rank. Who knows? You might be reading about yourself back there.